All the Right Tools | Editorial 4

In a recent feature, we discussed that you must "expect the unexpected" at Motocross of Nations. Numerous factors influence the outcome. This past weekend in Ernee, France, Team Canada experienced this in spades. The 2023 Canadian MXdN team comprised of four-time Canadian National champ Dylan Wright, two-time 250 National champ Ryder McNabb, and Jess Pettis, who finished as the runner-up behind Wright in '21 and '23. Many felt this was the best team The Great White North had sent in years, and maybe ever. Team Manager Kourtney Lloyd said, "We had a great team, We had all the right tools. It Just didn't happen for us." Things did not go as anticipated.

Canada has had a tempestuous relationship with the Motocross of Nations. Over the last twenty years, they have had four top-10 finishes (8th being their best result in 2004), times where they did not qualify, and some years where they didn't even send a team. This was partly due to many of the riders and teams having been at odds with the CMA (Canadian Motorcycle Association), the FIM's Canadian affiliate, for years. The disagreements between the CMA and those passionate about Team Canada caused problems with their chances more than once. 

As mentioned, they've had numerous teams with good results. In 2004, Team Canada showed up in Lierop, The Netherlands, with Jean Sebastien Roy, Dusty Klatt, and Blair Morgan and finished 8th. Most recently, in 2018 at Red Bud, Colton Facciotti, Jess Pettis, and Tyler Medaglia brought home 10th overall. These were significant results from very good riders battling against the best in the world, proving Canada can be competitive at a very high level.

This year, 2023, when their team was announced, many believed they had a legitimate chance at the best result in their history. I felt a top-five was possible. Kourtney Lloyd was once again the Team Manager and worked feverishly behind the scenes, getting the funds together and working on logistics. Everything was in place for an exciting and substantial result.

Gate picks for the qualifying races were decided by ballot (ping pong balls) on Friday morning, and Team Canada drew 37th. Dead last. The last gate pick is not the end of the world, but it most certainly puts the teams in a less desirable situation. You must start way outside and hope not to get tangled up in carnage in the first few turns. Dylan Wright, regrettably, did just that. There were a number of crashes during the MXGP class qualifier, and Dylan got caught up in one and damaged his bike enough that he could not continue. Team Canada was starting with a DNF. Ryder McNabb was next in the MX2 class and narrowly avoided a first-turn pile-up. He was 19th at the end of lap one but dropped back to 29th by lap four. Ryder would work up to 24th by the end of the moto. Jess Pettis was 26th on lap one of the Open class qualifier but would work up to 12th by the end. As a team, they qualified 25th and were headed to the B-Main on Sunday. A disappointing way to start the weekend, to be sure.

The random, poor gate-pick did not do them any favors, but with the ability of those riders, they should have overcome that. In response to the gate pick being a factor, Team Manager Kourtney Lloyd said, "That's hard for me to accept because even with that gate pick, based on our talent, we should have done better." Regardless, Dylan Wright's bike was so heavily damaged that the team didn't have all they needed to repair it.

Kourtney told Vital MX, "We ran all over the pits to steal parts. I had to get Florent Richier to get his friend to rent us a bike, and we took every part we needed off of it. The fork broke, so Showa lent us one, and we stayed until midnight rebuilding it. Then, in the B Final, he crashed immediately and destroyed it again. It was just one thing after another." 

Kourtney credited Dan Truman from Athena USA and Ben Schiermeyer for helping them get the necessary things to race again. Former Team Canada rider Colton Facciotti was part of the crew and helped rebuild the fork. She said the whole team worked their butts off and deserved praise. Spoiler alert: their problems weren't over. 

Canada's hopes rode on one 20-minute B Final, and when the gate dropped, Jess Pettis pulled the holeshot, and things were looking good. That was until the third corner when his front wheel tucked, and he went down. He would finish lap one in 30th place but worked to 8th. Continuing the weekend's struggles, Pettis would be docked ten spots for jumping on a yellow flag, leaving him in 18th. Dylan Wright would crash multiple times, resulting in what was thought to be a broken leg. X-rays showed negative, but I understand he's still in a lot of pain. Ryder McNabb started lap one in 10th and finished 9th. As a team, they finished in 6th and did not qualify. 

The team was understandably brokenhearted. MXdN is a prestigious event, and it holds a special place in the hearts of teams and fans. So much time, preparation, and money go into getting to the event. So, having just about everything go wrong could be devastating, but once they process the emotions from the weekend, Canada will be ready to come back in 2024 and get redemption. Life and racing are like a rollercoaster with peaks and valleys. The negatives will not last. As Eric Draven said, "It can't rain all the time."